Ancien évêché et ses jardins, actuellement Musée des Beaux-Arts
PalaceHidden Treasure
Adossé à la cathédrale de Chartres, cet ancien palais épiscopal aux jardins en terrasse offre un écrin médiéval et classique abritant aujourd'hui l'un des plus riches musées des Beaux-Arts du Centre-Val de Loire.
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History
Nestling against the northern flank of Notre-Dame de Chartres cathedral, the former bishop's palace is one of those places where history has been built up over several centuries, offering visitors a rare experience: that of wandering through an episcopal palace that has lived through the Middle Ages, the Ancien Régime and modern times without ever losing its character. Now converted into the Musée des Beaux-Arts, it retains the prestige of its original function, but is now open to artistic contemplation. What really sets this monument apart is the harmonious superimposition of its different eras: the medieval structures from the thirteenth century interact with the large galleries and the private mansion built in the eighteenth century, while the terraced gardens from the seventeenth century create a green transition between the Gothic stonework and the Beauceron countryside. This architectural palimpsest is an open-air history lesson. The visitor experience often begins in these hanging gardens on the ancient Gallo-Roman ramparts, which offer a striking panorama over the Eure valley. Between pruned yew trees and formal flowerbeds, visitors can discover one of the city's least-known - and most striking - viewpoints. The nearby cathedral imposes its majestic silhouette just a few metres away. Inside, the collections of the Musée des Beaux-Arts are full of surprises: Flemish paintings, Limoges enamels, medieval sculptures and a collection of 17th-century harpsichords - an unexpectedly rich collection that makes this more than just a converted palace. The building itself, with its classically proportioned rooms and ancient timbers, is a showcase worthy of the works it houses. Chartres, famous the world over for its cathedral and its school of stained glass painting, has here a second heritage jewel too often overshadowed by the neighbouring Gothic giant. Yet the former bishop's palace deserves special attention, both for its architecture and for the singular calm that reigns here, even at the height of the tourist season.
Architecture
The former bishop's palace of Chartres has an architectural stratification that is clearly visible to the naked eye. The oldest parts, dating back to the 13th century, are built of Beauceron limestone with tight joints, typical of the Champagne Gothic style and of medieval Île-de-France. These structures, partially integrated into later buildings, bear witness to the building vigour of a diocese at the height of its power. The main building, as we see it today, is essentially the result of 18th-century campaigns: a two-storey main building, a long-sloped roof covered with flat tiles or slate depending on the section, windows with small panes of wood and facades punctuated by discreet pilasters - austere and elegant classical architecture that does not seek to rival the Gothic exuberance of the neighbouring cathedral. The gardens are the most spectacular part of the complex. Laid out in terraces on the ancient 3rd-century ramparts, they offer a remarkable example of the French episcopal garden: straight paths, geometrically trimmed box and yew trees, fountains and belvederes. The particular topography of the site - the upper town of Chartres is perched on a promontory - accentuates the dramatic effect of these hanging gardens, which fall in tiers towards the lower town and the river. Inside, some of the rooms have retained their period panelling, monumental fireplaces with moulded mantels and antique oak floors. Some of the rooms still have remnants of wall paintings or stucco decorations that reveal the decorative ambitions of the prelates of the Grand Siècle and the 18th century. The framework of certain wings, visible from the attic, is a discreet masterpiece of traditional carpentry from the Paris Basin.
Related Figures
Saint Fulbert de Chartres — évêque au XIe siècle, initiateur de la reconstruction de la cathédrale et figure tutélaire du diocèseJean de Beauce — maître d'œuvre chartrain du XVIe siècle, dont l'influence marqua l'architecture de la ville hauteLouis-Joseph de Montmorency-Laval — évêque de Chartres au XVIIIe siècle, probable commanditaire des aménagements classiques du palaisJean-Baptiste Souchet — historien et chanoine du chapitre de Chartres au XVIIe siècle, témoin des transformations du palais épiscopalVictor Hugo — de passage à Chartres, sensible à la qualité patrimoniale de la ville haute et de ses abordsAuguste Rodin — qui séjourna à Chartres et loua la beauté de l'ensemble cathédral et épiscopal dans ses écrits sur les cathédrales
